1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to organic/inorganic composites showing excellent fire resistant performance and a fire-resistant plate containing the organic/inorganic composite.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fire resistant or fire retardant materials can be used as architectural or decorative materials. Architecture materials disclosed in Taiwan Patent Nos. 583,078 and 397,885 primarily comprise a stacked layer, serving as a fire resistant layer of nonflammable inorganic materials such as pearlite (or perlite), MgCl2, MgO, CaCO3 or cement. In addition, a stiff fire resistant laminate can be obtained from flexible substrates of fibers or nonwovens blended with flame retardants, foaming agents and 50˜80 inorganic materials by weight.
Fire resistant coatings, serving as decorative materials, disclosed in Taiwan Patent Nos. 442,549, 499,469 and 419,514 comprise a combination of foaming and intumescent agents, carbonization agents, flame retardants, and adhesives which foam and intumesce when exposed to fire. U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,515 discloses a fire-retardant coating material comprising a fluid intumescent base material having a foaming agent, a blowing agent, a charring agent, a binding agent, a solvent, and a pigment, increasing resistance to cracking and shrinking. A compound disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,027 is manufactured from a composition of a copolymer or terpolymer, a low modulus polymer, and a synthetic hydrocarbon elastomer. The fire retardant additive comprises a group I, group II or group III metal hydroxide with the proviso that at least 1% by weight of the composition is in the form of an organopolysiloxane. U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,161 relates to filled interpolymer compositions of ethylene and/or alpha-olefin/vinyl or vinylidene monomers, showing improved performance under exposure to flame or ignition sources, and articles fabricated therefrom. The articles can be in the form of a film, sheet, multilayered structure, floor, wall, or ceiling covering, foams, fibers, electrical devices, or wire and cable assemblies. Conventional flame retardant polymer compositions are obtained by physical bending of organic polymer and inorganic flame retardant, wherein coupling agents or surfactants are typically incorporated to improve the dispersity of inorganic flame retardant. However, because the organic polymer does not react with inorganic component to form a well-structured composite by the formation of chemical bonds, the conventional flame retardant compositions easily melt, ignite, or produce flaming drops under exposure to flame or ignition sources.
Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1a˜1b, the heated area of a the conventional fire resistant material can be carbonized rapidly and expand 8˜10 times in volume than the original due to the foaming, intumescent, and carbonization agents contained. However, as shown in FIGS. 1c-1d, after long term heating, the intumescent carbonization layer (or the heated part) cracks slightly and peels, such that flame and heat can directly transfer to the interior materials and fire resistance is overcome. Accordingly, an improved fire resistant material is desirable.